Ever wondered how you can play a Playstation game on your computer? The answer is pretty simple, you will need to install a program called PlayStation emulator to do so.
So what is a PlayStation emulator?
A Playstation Emulator is a program that emulates, or replicates, the PlayStation gaming console, and lets you enjoy playing your favorite PlayStation games on your computer.
You will need the following requirements to run a PlayStation game on your computer.
- PlayStation Emulator
- Game Disc
- Copy of the disc game.
There is a different PlayStation Emulator for the PS1, PS2, PSP, PS3, PS4 as well as PS Vita. There are also a few PlayStation Emulators that are available for Android, however, I wouldn’t recommend you try out PS games on your phone it’s just not worth it. I have put together this list of the best PlayStation Emulators available in the market after testing each emulator for a week.
***Please note: This article is only for educational purposes, Geekymint or its author does not promote the usage of emulators***
Contents
Best All-in-One PlayStation Emulator: RetroArch
Advantages of RetroArch
- The handy rewind feature and sleek interface of RetroArch helps it to compete with with commercial emulators like the SNES classic.
Disadvantages of RetroArch
- The configuration process is a bit time consuming and difficult, if you do not want to play games with other consoles then I would suggest you spare yourself the trouble of going through this tedious process.
RetroArch is not just any emulator, in fact it is a collection of emulators, called “cores,” on which you can play thousands of classic games from several consoles all on one single PC.
RetroArch is superior than many standalone original PlayStation emulators in terms of usability including the PS1 core called Beetle. If you are a fan of old school video games, then I would highly recommend you check out RetroArch.
Most User-Friendly PlayStation Emulator: PCSX Reloaded
Advantages of PCSX Reloaded
- The configuration is a walk in the park.
- You get the options to choose between a customized experience with manual settings or an automatic set up to start playing within a couple of minutes.
Disadvantages of PCSX Reloaded
- PCSX Reloaded stays true to its word in emulating a PS1, however it lacks some certain extra features in comparison to similar programs.
Just like RetroArch, PCSX Reloaded is also a standalone PS1 emulator, but unlike the latter, it is a lot more simpler to configure, and additionally it also supports much more games on the classic console in comparison to other PS emulators. PCSX Reloaded also comes with the feature of supporting any PC compatible gamepad, meaning you can also connect your DualShock controller for a much more authentic experience.
Best PlayStation Emulator for Speed Runners: BizHawk
Advantages of BizHawk
- True PlayStation speed runners use BizHawk as their first tool of choice mainly due to the loads of features that it offers.
Disadvantages of BizHawk
- Prior to starting the setting up you will require the BizHawk installer of prerequisites and the PS1 BIOS.
BizHawk acts more than just an emulator, it lets you do screen recording of your gameplay, set new records by speedrunning your favorite game and also lets you take advantage of frame-rate and save states manipulation to capture your perfect playthrough. If you wish you check out BizHawk, you will also have to download the PS1 emulator called Mednafen, as BizHawk is a plugin for that emulator.
Most Compatible PlayStation Emulator: XEBRA
Advantages of XEBRA
- XEBRA is the perfect emulator for beginners as it is very easy to set up.
Disadvantages of XEBRA
- XEBRA is known for the occasional lag issues just like the original PS1.
If I had to pick one Playstation emulator for Android and Windows that prioritizes authenticity then I would select XEBRA.
XEBRA emulator will not add any fancy UI elements or graphical enhancements, however it is the only known program that lets you emulate PocketStation games so you can enjoy playing games like the Japanese version of Chocobo World.
Best PlayStation 2 Emulator: PCSX2
Advantages of PCSX2
- PCSX2 is an open source platform that is also available for Maz, Linus and Windows.
Disadvantages of PCSX2
- There are only a few PS2 title that are playable due to software glitches. Find the supported games for PCSX2 from this list.
PCSX2 gives your PS2 a polished look in comparison to most of the modern remakes as it leverages anti-aliasing and texture filtering. This PS emulator is very popular with speed runners because of its several cheating features and built-in HD video recorder. After using this program, ite developers claim that it will completely change your perception of wanting to play PS2 games on your console.
Best PlayStation 3 Emulator: RPCS3
Advantages of RPCS3
- RPCS3 is an open source source platform meaning anyone can contribute to its source code.
Disadvantages of RPCS3
- RPCS3 emphasises more towards developers who are interested in the PS3’s software architecture.
RPCS3 is a program that lets you play and debug a plethora of PlayStation3 titles with it, whats more impressive is that its complete version is yet to be released, which is very exiting news for PlayStation 3 emulator users.
The developers of RPCS3 gained infamous attention back in 2017 when a version of Persona 5 for RPCS3 was leaked online even before the game’s official U.S. release.
Best PlayStation Portable Emulator: PPSSPP
Advantages of PPSSPP
- PPSSPP is available for Android and iOS, For those who still wish to play their PSP games on the go on their phones.
Disadvantages of PPSSPP
- The portable version of PPSSPP provides a much more authentic experience in comparison to its Windows version.
PPSSPP offers the same functionalities to PSP games as PCSX2 offers for PS2 games: Both Playstation Emulators upscale resolution and texture to make old titles look better than how they were on their original consoles. PSP users find this feature very helpful particularly because the PSP screen is very small.
PPSSPP also helps you to save space on your PSP by transferring data from your PSP to your computer with an SD card.
Best PlayStation Vita Emulator: Vita3k
Advantages of Vita3k
- There are a few popular games like VitaQuake that have been developed by amateur game developers that are only playable on Vita3K.
Disadvantages of Vita3k
- Vita3k is not compatible with any commercial games.
- It is similar to RPCS3, as it is only helpful for developers who are curious abour how PlayStation consoles work.
Vita3K is still to roll out its fully developed emulator, however, I had to add it as a top PS Emulator because currently, it is the only PlayStation Vita emulator that is available in the market.
PS Vita failed to make an impact with fans as much as the PSP, however, there is still a dedicated fanbase towards PS Vita so this list would feel incomplete without adding an emulator designed for PS Vita.
DuckStation
Advantages of DuckStation
- Duckstation is free to use
- Supports 4K and 8K upscaling
- Duckstation also supports Vulkan Graphics API
- It is open source as well
Disadvantages of DuckStation
- Duckstation only is able to play PS1 games
Duckstation is a really good PlayStation Emulator that you have to try out. It is not talked about among all the other popular PlayStation Emulator. Duckstation is actually a free emulator that you can easily try out and download, you don’t have to pay anything to use this software as the software is open-sourced.
If you are aware of what open-source softwares are, they are basically softwares that are run by a community of people who volunteer to work on the software and do not charge for their services.
Open-Source softwares are also quite safe to use, as well. Along with this, DuckStation is available to use on multiple different devices and platforms. You can easily use DuckStation on your Android, iOS device and also on your Windows and macOS devices, as well.
DuckStation is featured with a number of different tools, such as it is PXGP, so the overall emulator is easily able to handle a lot of 3D geometry when the games are played on your device.
The emulator works on low-end devices, as well, so you shouldn’t worry much about it. Along with this, the default setting that is enabled on it should be able to play most of the games that you want.
It is a really great emulator that gets overshadowed among the other alternatives present for PlayStation, and if you haven’t heard of it, you can give it a shot.
